Combination siphon, force cup and pump device



S. FROMER Sept. 18, 1962 COMBINATION SIPHON, FORCE CUP AND PUMP DEVICE Filed May 22, 1961 INVENTOR. 5727 195 fi'ewvae 4r7aew5y United rates Patent 3,054,418 COMBINATION SIPHON, FORCE CUP AND PUlVIP DEVICE Stephen Framer, 1535 Victory Blvd., Staten Island, N.Y. Filed May 22, 1961, Ser. No. 111,683 3 Claims. (Cl. 137-146) This invention relates to a combination siphon, force cup and pump wherein great versatility of use is obtained under varying circumstances in a simple, inexpensive manner, the device being readily convertible to its several uses.

Siphoning devices are known but the conventional ones are subject to certain disadvantages particularly in connection with the transfer of corrosive or other dangerous chemicals or solutions and further because they are not always fully automatic even after the siphoning action commences. They are also relatively expensive and frequently necessitate contact between the operator and the liquid to be transferred. They are not convertible to other uses. The present invention overcomes these and other disadvantages and provides advantages peculiar to itself.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive siphon which can be made from standard parts and which can be used for the transfer of liquids of all types without those liquids in any way coming in contact with the user or operator and wherein siphoning is automatic after it is started.

Another object of the invention is to convert a so-called plumbers helper to a siphon or pump, while still making it possible to obtain a plurality of functional uses therefrom.

Other and further objects and advantages will be understood or appreciated by those skilled in this art or will be apparent or pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a device responding to the invention set up as a siphon;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on an enlarged scale of the lower portion of FIG. 1 with the suction cup partially deformed preparatory to starting siphoning action;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the suction cup expanded to its normal shape and showing liquid flow therein; and

'FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the device as a pump The combination device according to the invention, comprises a deformable bell-shaped member of rubber or other suitable material such as the conventional suction cup of a plumbers helper. Member 10 is, however, modified to provide an opening 11 in its apex and an aperture 12 in its wall adjacent the apex or near the bottom of the member, as desired. A rubber or other plug or stopper 13 is insertable in and removable from aperture 12 for a purpose to be described below and may be tethered to the member 10 as by a chain, cord or the like. A relatively rigid pipe or tube 14, which may be of metal or plastic, has one end introduced into the opening 11 providing communication with the interior of member 10. The other end of pipe 14 is received in one end of flexible tube 15 which may be composed of rubber or plastic or any other suitable material and the other end of tube 15 is immersed in the liquid 16 in the container 17. This :liquid maybe a chemical which is to be siphoned or trans ferred or filled into containers and which may be of corrosive or dangerous nature and may, for example, be any of those liquids which are commonly used in chemical laboratory work or experimentation. The liquid may, however, be innocuous, such as water, where, for example, it is desired to drain the liquid from a fish bowl or ice aquarium. The invention is not limited to the transfer of any particular type of liquid but is applicable generally to all liquids which are to be transferred by siphoning and which do not attack the materials of tubes 14 and 15 by siphoning. The member 10 is disposed in a receptacle 118 which may be of any suitable nature or material depending upon the liquid involved and, in the case of water from a fish bowl or aquarium, may be an ordinary galvanized pail or a wooden bucket of suitable volumetric capacity. The bottom of receptacle 18 is used as the active surface for deforming member 10.

As will be appreciated from FIG. 2, the pipe 14 can be used as a handle to deform member it against the bottom of receptacle .18, thereby forcing air through the said pipe and tube 15 and then when the deformed member :10 gradually assumes its normal shape as shown in FIG. 3, the siphoning action commences and continues until all or a desired amount of liquid has been transferred to the receptacle. While it is not ordinarily necessary, member 1! can be deformed more than once in order to ensure maximum siphoning action and continuity thereof and the directional arrows appearing in the drawing show the directions of flow of air and liquid.

In FIG. 4, the device is arranged :for use as a plumbers helper or force cup with all openings in member 10 closed or sealed, the aperture 12 having stopper 13 therein and opening 11 having a one-way valve therein as indicated at 20, 21. When the tube attached to the handle is connected to a water faucet, the device becomes a hydraulic force cup. The one-way valve is of any suitable known type such as a flutter valve or diaphragm valve. It is, however, to be understood that the one-way valve can be inserted in opening 12, stopper 1 3 being removed, thus permitting flow into member 10 on suction. rough appropriate arrangement of the elements, the devices can be used to move liquids from higher levels to lower levels (siphoning) or from lower levels to higher levels (pumping).

When the device is used as a siphon, the stopper or plug 13 is in place, closing aperture 12. When the device is used as a plumbers helper, the stopper or plug 13 is also in place as well as the valve 20, 21 so as to prevent air or water from leaving the enclosure formed by member =10. In using the device in this fashion, tube 15 may be removed and pipe 14 used as a handle. When the device is used as a hydraulic force cup, the valve is in position (see FIG. 4) but tube '15 is attached to a nearby water facuet or other source of hydraulic pressure.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the device is extremely simple and inexpensive and is essentially made up of a suction cup, a suitable length of pipe, a suitable length of flexible tube and a one-way valve. The device can be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled in various combinations as above described and hence, provides manifold advantages over known devices. It is especially to be noted that the device can be operated as a siphon with no contact between the liquid siphoned and the user or operator. The device can also be simply converted from a siphon to a plumbers helper and vice versa without requiring any skilled labor or tools. Should it become necessary to replace any of the parts, such can be easily accomplished. The device may also be used as a pump by applying a valve as shown and described above.

What is claimed is:

l. A combination siphon, force cup and pump device, comprising a deformable bell-shaped member having an opening in its apex and an aperture in its side wall, a relatively rigid tube having one end inserted into said opening, a flexible tube one end of which receives the other 0 end of the relatively rigid tube and which flexible tube has its other end adapted to be submerged in liquid to be siphoned, and a stopper insertable in and removable from said wall aperture and a one-way valve insertable in and removable from said member opening.

2. In combination, a deformable rubber suction cup member and having an opening in its apex and an 'aperture in its side wall, a stopper insertable into and removable from said aperture, a pipe having one end inserted into said opening, a tube one end of which receives the opposite end of the pipe and the other end of which is adapted to be submerged in liquid, whereby upon deforming said suction cup against the bottom of the receptacle, using the pipe as a handle, and with said stopper in said aperture, and allowing the suction cup to return to its initial shape, siphoning of liquid commences and automatically continues.

3. The device claimed in claim 2, wherein the suction cup member is provided with a removable one-way valve in the side wall aperture of the member, whereby the stopper being out of the aperture, the device constitutes a pump.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 591,067 Wallace Oct. 5, 1897 1,661,699 Magnin Mar. 6, 1928 2,617,440 Stephens Nov. 11, 1952 

